Is Negro a Bad Word? UNCF's Big Decision
By Eric L. Hinton
January 17, 2008
Words such as "colored" and "negro" are products of a bygone era. They are archaic and considered by some to be derogatory. But civil-rights organizations like the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and United Negro College Fund (UNCF) are in a quandary. Do they change the names of their historic institutions to modernize? Or do they cling to the past at the risk of alienating a younger generation?
It's an issue the United Negro College Fund is addressing today … sort of. The 64-year-old organization isn't officially removing "Negro" from its name but rather is unveiling a new branding effort that will focus on the acronym "UNCF." A new logo was unveiled today and the group is refocusing attention to the group's universal catchphrase, "A Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Waste."
"This is a proud and crucial moment for UNCF," said Michael L. Lomax, UNCF president and CEO, in a statement. "This is a time to move forward and advance our brand while still embracing our heritage." The new logo, created by Landor Associates, emphasizes the acronym "UNCF" updated in contemporary colors as opposed to its traditional black and white. It also prominently features the organization's well-known catchphrase.
UNCF's historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), as well as non-affiliated HBCUs, award 18 percent of all the undergraduate degrees received by Black students across the country. The UNCF supports more than 60,000 students at more than 900 colleges and universities across the country.
By refocusing attention to the acronym, the UNCF follows the lead of the American Association of Retired Persons, which in 1999 legally changed its name to AARP to reflect that its focus had expanded beyond that of just American retirees and to capture more aging baby boomers.
The notion of making a name change for groups such as the NAACP and UNCF are more than simply symbolic. These organizations are seeking to remain relevant and urgently need to attract younger members.
Last year, DiversityInc posed a question to its readers: "Should the NAACP Change its Name?" Responses ran the gamut from readers who said the name had "historical significance" to "the NAACP has remained in a time zone of the '60's" to "It's not the name, it's the direction the organization is going in."
With this latest revamping, Lomax hopes the UNCF is at least moving in the right direction. "We were able to remain respectful of our honored past while creating a more progressive and encompassing look to anticipate our future," Lomax said. "UNCF is taking a bold step forward to attract new donors, reinforce our relevance and appeal to a broader base of public support. This new identity is a proud banner for our critical mission."
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